Citadel of Qaitbay, is have been built on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built between 297 and 283 B.C. during the reign of Ptolemy II on the island of Pharos connected to the mainland by the Heptastadion, a dike seven stadiums long, about 1344 meters.
The city of northern Egypt is located in the delta of the Nile River, and the main port of the country. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., in a fertile region, with a strategic port situation, becoming a few years later the cultural center of the ancient world. It had avenues 30 meters wide, a magnificent harbor, and a gigantic lighthouse to announce to the sailors heading there that they were approaching their destination. As a result, the lighthouse was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
The main tower is the most imposing structure of the complex. It is square in shape and its dimensions are 30 meters high and 17 meters on each side.
It has three levels with cylindrical towers at the four corners of the main building with small windows strategically distributed so that the archers could shoot their arrows in case of attack.
The Qaytbay Citadel was built between 1478 and 1480 with stones from the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. In order to protect Alexandria from Ottoman attacks, the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt better known as Sultan Qaytbay ordered the construction of the fort on the island of Pharos.
The citadel surrounded by massive walls on the seafront houses a three-story, square-shaped fort with four round defensive towers at the four corners. Inside we will discover what was once a mosque and its qibla which indicates the direction of Mecca. The cross-shaped prayer hall is illuminated by a dome that lights up the beautiful mosaics on the floor.
Occupied until 1984 by the Egyptian army, the Qaytbay Citadel now houses the institute and the hydrobiological museum.
The main entrance faces the road coming from the city, although it is now entered through a side door. The walls are 2 m thick and rise 8 m above the ground. It is intersected by three semicircular towers. In its northern part it is much wider, and both the terraces and the lower gallery, which is completely covered, housed cannons designed to repel undesirables from the entrance to the port that the citadel commanded. A large esplanade separates the western and southern walls of the tower.
The second floor of the citadel consists of several passages, a large number of small chambers and rooms, and some large rooms that were used for different purposes. Because the Citadel of Qaitbay is one of the most important complexes in Egypt, several kings and rulers have paid attention to it throughout history.
One of the first to make modifications to the fortress was Sultan El Ghory, the last Mamluk of the Burji dynasty that ruled Egypt (1501-1516). He renovated some sections, provided weapons and soldiers, and restored some parts in need of repair. The main building has three levels and a small but beautiful mosque that extends from the first floor to a beautiful dome built on the roof.
The rooftop is not open to the public. However, you can walk along the city walls, which stretch along all four sides of the grounds and offer beautiful views of the Mediterranean, the East Harbor, and the city itself.
